Chusetts



T. H. SIMMONS & R. M. EASTMAN.

AUTOMATIC GOAT HOLDER.

Pat-entedApr. 3, 1888.

(No Model.)

N. PETERS. Pholohi'nngmpbcn Washmgion. D. C

UNITED STATES PATENT rricnt THORNTON H. SIMMONS AND RUFUS M. EASTMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSA- OHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC COAT-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent 110.380.602, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed January 12, 1888. Serial N 0. 260,541.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it. known that we, THORNTON H. Sm MONS and Burns M. EASTMAN, both of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Automatic Coat-Holder, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

Our invention consists in an automatic coatholder comprisinga wall attachment or clamping device constructed and arranged to-automatically hold suspended and to release a garment, as hereinafter fully described.

The accompanying drawing illustrates our invention, the figure being a perspective view showing the coat-holder as when attached to the wall of an apartment or wardrobe and holding suspended a gentlemans overcoat. The dotted lines indicate the position of the clamping device when the coat is placed therein or released therefrom.

A represents the backboard or supportingframe of the coat-holding attachment,by which it is secured in any convenient manner and at the requisite height to the wall of the room.

BB are two swinging arms or hangers secured to a rod, 0, which is loosely fitted in lugs or eyes D D, fastened to the back A. To the arms B B are pivoted at E E two levers, F F, which levers are formed and arranged to coaot with arms B B, so that the lower ends of the four parts constitute two pairs of clamping-jaws, G G, between which a coat or other garment may be held suspended, as illustrated in the drawing. The upper ends of the levers F F are always in contact with the face of the back board, A, while their lower ends, together with the lower ends of arms B B, to which they are pivoted, hang slightly forward from back A and out of the vertical plane which would pass through the axis 0 of the swinging arms, being held in that position by the contact of the upper ends of levers F F with board A.

When a coat is to be hung up and held in our attachment, the swinging arms B B are moved outward or forward from the back A into the position shown in dotted lines, when (No model.)

levers F F will by gravitation assume the positions thus shown and jaws G G will be open to receive the collar of the coat. The collar then being placed therein and the arms and levers being allowed to assume by their gravity their nearly-vertical position, such movement backward automatically closes jawsG G upon the collar, the force of their grip thereon being increased by the weight of the garment thus suspended therein by its tendency to bring the arms B B to a vertical position, which tendency is counteracted by levers F F acting against board A, as stated. Thus the weight or downward pressure of the garment intensifies the grip of the jaws G G. Consequently the device not only serves as a very convenient means for hanging up a coat, but is a very effective assistant in helping the wearer to put on his coat. For instance, when the attachment is secured to the wall of an apartment at the requisite height and an overcoat is suspended therein, as shown, the wearer, by backing up to the same, may thrust his arms into the sleeves of the coat, as the downward pressure of that act will, as before stated, increase the force of the grip of the clamp upon the coat, and when his arms are thus fully inserted in the sleeves, then, by stepping forward away from the attachment, the clamp will swing into the position shown by dotted lines and freely release its hold on the collar without hinderance orinconvenience to the wearer or injury to the garment.

It is obvious that the invention may be constructed of wood or metal and in a variety of forms and may be supported in a variety of ways. The back A may be made of any suit able ornamental configuration and be provided with overhanging hat hooks or pins and a mirror inserted between leversF F, as shown, if desired; and, if desired, the invention may be permanently attached to a suitable solid wall of an apartment or wardrobe, back A being dispensed withand the swinging clamp being attached directly to such wall in the same manner as it is attached to back A.

We claim as our invention- An automatic coat-holder consisting of a back, A, arms B B, suspended from a pivotal free ends of arms B, forming jaws G G, as and rod, 0, attached to said back, and levers F F, for the purposes specified. pivoted to arms B B, with their upper por- 1 THORNTON H. SIMMONS. tions between the said arms and backs, and so RUFUS M. EASTMAN.

5 arranged that by force of gravitation the upper WVitnesses:

ends of levers F will act against back A, and l HENRY HUNT LETTENEY;

thus cause their lower ends to coact with the RALPH \V. E. HOPPER. 

